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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699482">You Can't Go With Us Professor, It's a Date!</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdventurousLadder/pseuds/AdventurousLadder'>AdventurousLadder</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Henry's just protective over his only daughter okay, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:35:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23699482</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdventurousLadder/pseuds/AdventurousLadder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma is going on a date with Paul. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, her <del>adoptive father</del> biology professor wants to make sure that she's safe.</p>
<p>No matter what.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chad/Henry Hidgens, Henry Hidgens &amp; Emma Perkins, Paul Matthews &amp; Melissa, Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Can't Go With Us Professor, It's a Date!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You can't go with us, Professor! It's a date!"</p>
<p>"I want you to be safe, Emma. I don't know this man." he paused. "And even worse, he <i>hates</i> musicals-"</p>
<p>"You aren't the biggest fan either-"</p>
<p>"That's not the point," he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've been teaching students for longer than you've been alive and I've never seen him in any of the class I've taught." he said firmly. There was no way this boy was of any use if he had no knowledge of biology (the only science that matters).</p>
<p>"What?" Emma asked. "You think he's not smart? He works in IT if you were wondering," she said.</p>
<p>"IT?" Hidgens gasped dramatically.</p>
<p>"You married a theater major for fucks' sake!"</p>
<p>Hidgens felt as though he was stabbed in the heart. "Language!" he said. "Alright," he started. "If you get murdered by this boy, you should expect a lot of crying at your funeral."</p>
<p>"I knew I should've asked Chad," Emma muttered as she left the room. Leaving Henry as more of a stammering mess than he originally was.</p><hr/>
<p>"I think I'm ready," Paul said looking at the mirror. He dressed relatively casually for the night. He thought that a suit would be too fancy so he decided a polo with the sleeves pulled back (to flex those forearms) and some khaki shorts and a belt would totally help him look much more laid back than he actually was.</p>
<p>"I don't think you are, hun," Melissa said eyeing him up and down and tried her best not to laugh.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"So you had to do it to 'em, huh?" she burst out laughing.</p>
<p>Paul, on the other hand, thought harder for reasons she could be laughing at him. Using context clues, he ruffled his hair a little.</p>
<p>"Not that, dummy!" she said. "You just look like a meme, that's all."</p>
<p>Paul sighed in relief.</p>
<p>"Loosen up, man." she playfully tapped him on the shoulder. "You look like you're gonna faint."</p>
<p>"Did this happen on your first date with Doug?"</p>
<p>Melissa glared at him. "I don't understand what you're talking about."</p>
<p>"Were you nervous or anything?"</p>
<p>"We were busy taking down a fucking creep, Paul," she said. "I don't think you should be scared of taking her out to dinner."</p>
<p>"But what if it goes wrong?"</p>
<p>"I will personally kill whoever made that happen."</p>
<p>"Even if it were Emma?"</p>
<p>"Especially if it were Emma."</p><hr/>
<p>"Hello?" Henry said into his phone.</p>
<p>"How did you get my number?" the man on the other line said.</p>
<p>"Your phone number was on Emma's refrigerator with the words 'Emergency' under it." he paused. "Are you her dad?"</p>
<p>"No, this is Ted." Ted said on the other line as Henry knew who he was.</p>
<p>"Alright, Ted," he said. "Do you happen to know where Emma is going tonight? She seems to have forgotten to tell me."</p>
<p>"What!?" Ted responded. "Are you guys going on a date or something?!"</p>
<p>"I have a husband, son." he paused. "And she is going on a date with another man and she said she wanted me to be there. I think you work with the guy. His name is Paul or something."</p>
<p>"<i>Paul?!</i>" Ted said. "With <i>Emma?!</i>" Henry heard Ted cackle on the other end of the line. "I got no fuckin' clue where they're headed off too, though." he tried to regain composure. "Call Melissa, poor girl's probably given the itinerary."</p>
<p>"Melissa?"</p>
<p>"Yeah," Ted said. "Call her. I'll text you the number. Bye."</p>
<p>Ted hung up.</p>
<p>Henry waited for a couple of seconds before he got a message and dialed the number since he had a primitive cellphone.</p><hr/>
<p>"I don't think it’s that important that you arrive at the restaurant at precisely 7:30 pm." Melissa looked down at her watch.</p>
<p>"I just think that it's the perfect time to have dinner." he sat on his bed and reviewed the list that he had made in the Notes app. "It's early enough that we skip the 'dinner rush'." he made air quotes since he definitely got the tip by entering 'best time to have a date' into Google. "But late enough that we technically aren't having lunch."</p>
<p>"A lunch date seems fun-"</p>
<p>"You're right. We should have had a lunch date." Paul said as he buried his face in his hands.</p>
<p>"Awww," Melissa cooed. "You're being such a dork about this, you know," she said. "The details are actually getting out of hand, though." she said looking at the notes that he made. "Why does it matter when you excuse yourself to go to the bathroom?"</p>
<p>"I always need an escape plan," he replied quickly, changing his outfit into something more appropriate. Luckily, this time he did not look like a meme.</p>
<p>"Have fun with that," she said as she pulled out her phone which was vibrating in her pocket. "I'll just take this quickly."</p>
<p>Paul raised an eyebrow. If she were to sabotage this date, this would not be the first time. Looking back to their high school years, in an attempt to make him feel better, she called the girl's parents and told them about how he might cry on their date if they pushed through with going to the horror movie that she wanted to see. The girl then lost interest in him because she wanted to date 'a man' or whatever that meant.</p>
<p>"It's an unknown number," she said, relieving him. "I don't think you want to hear me go off on a scam caller while you're already so wound up."</p>
<p>He nodded.</p><hr/>
<p>"Hello? Is this Melissa?" Henry asked across his landline.</p>
<p>"Yes, it is. Hi, who's this?" Melissa asked.</p>
<p>"I am Henry Hidgens-"</p>
<p>"Aren't you like Emma's dad?"</p>
<p>"I am her biology professor and nothing more," he said with a tone so flat, the state of Florida better be taking notes. "I am calling you to ask about Paul." he paused. "I think he's going on a date with Emma today and I just want some details."</p>
<p>"Gossip is all you're after, huh?" she asked. "I know so much about this date I just hope Paul won't have a meltdown if something goes wrong."</p>
<p>"I hope not, for Emma's sake," Henry said. "But I am interested in hearing all of this information."</p><hr/>
<p>"Paul!" Emma said upon seeing him at her doorstep. She quickly pulled him into a hug that clearly caught him off guard.</p>
<p>"Emma," he said. "I brought you something."</p>
<p>"Oh, this is so cool!" she said receiving his gift. It was a small succulent in a little plant pot. "Finally, there can be some life in the apartment," she said before going inside for a quick second to place the plant in her living room right next to Ted. She quickly ran up to meet Paul at the door. "So where are we going?"</p>
<p>"We're going to have dinner at this nice place I know." he led her out of her apartment and out into the street.</p>
<p>Emma looked around to check where Paul's car was. "Where's your car?"</p>
<p>"I don't drive." he said. "We're walking there. It's better for the environment. It's not too far from here if you know the shortcuts."</p>
<p>After walking through an endless maze of Hatchetfield's alleyways, Paul suddenly stopped.</p>
<p>Emma, feeling ready to be murdered, took out her phone to check whether an amber alert has been sent out on her disappearance. She then lightly scowled at her phone when she realized maybe professor Hidgens was not going to start a country-wide search party to find her.</p>
<p>"We're here," Paul said.</p>
<p>"Where is here?" she asked.</p>
<p>"Here," he said before entering a quaint little shop at the end of the dark alleyway.</p>
<p>It was smallish. There were only a few booths and a table or two near the opening. The too bright lighting set Emma at unease but to Paul, it was quite welcoming.</p>
<p>They sat down at a booth near the back of the restaurant which was awfully empty for what could have been the dinner rush.</p>
<p>"Welcome to Papa Louie's Pizzeria!" an older man handed them two menus as they sat down.</p>
<p>"Was that Mr. Louie?" Emma asked. "From the wedding?"</p>
<p>"Yup."</p>
<p>"Are you sure?"</p>
<p>Paul nodded.</p>
<p>"How did you even find this place?" she said. "Did you have to get to hell and back to find this place?"</p>
<p>"I asked Ted," Paul said before picking up a menu despite knowing damn well what he wanted to order.</p>
<p>"That bastard," she said looking at the menu before seeing him looking at her to grab her attention. "What do you want, babe?"</p>
<p>"Would you be angry if I said a cheese pizza?"</p><hr/>
<p>"None of these outfits would disguise me well enough, Chad!" Henry aggressively went through his closet to find anything that you make him look unassuming when he has a lovely dinner at “Papa Laurie's (whatever his name is) Pizzeria” with his husband. But nothing seemed to match the vibe. He looked over to see a forbidden location for clothes to be located.</p>
<p>Chad's duffel bag filled with extra clothes for his next theatre production.</p>
<p>Chad caught Henry's eye and made the gave him a little glare.</p>
<p>"I know what you want to do," Chad said. "And I'm saying no."</p>
<p>"But honey," Henry said before zipping open the bag of clothes.</p>
<p>The interior of the bag only held the most random assortment of clothing that Henry had ever seen. He searched and pulled out the first two items of clothing that he could find: a varsity jacket and a newsboy cap.</p>
<p>"I think this works just fine," he said proudly showing off this amazing breakthrough in fashion.</p>
<p>"And you say I'm the fashion disaster?"</p><hr/>
<p>"Umm," Paul whispered.</p>
<p>"Anything wrong?" Emma asked.</p>
<p>"It's just," he took a little breath to make sure that he was certainly seeing what he was seeing. "These two guys behind you have been staring at the back of your head for the past twenty minutes. Should I call the police?"</p>
<p>"Really?"</p>
<p>"Yup."</p>
<p>"Describe them," she said, not taking what he said too seriously. He may not have been a joker, but she knew that people were not the biggest fans of looking at her.</p>
<p>"Older men," he said, trying not to stare too much. "One of them has a hat on and a varsity jacket. Backwards hat on. The other guy has a sweater vest with a striped turtleneck underneath. The guy with the jacket and the hat looks angry at me-"</p>
<p>"Oh, that's just Professor Hidgens."</p>
<p>"What?" he asked. "Your professor? Have you forgotten to turn some work in or something?" he tried to make a joke to lighten the fact that there have been some strange men staring at them for quite some time now.</p>
<p>"No, not at all," she said. "I really should have been expecting this." she turned around and the man with the hat used it to cover his face. She giggled at that. "Hi, Professor Hidgens, and also Mr. Chad." she gave them a little wave and Chad waved back.</p>
<p>"Do you think she saw us?" Henry said in a hushed voice that turned Emma into a full-on laughing fit.</p>
<p>"Of course I can see you Professor Hidgens!" she said. "I appreciate you coming here to make sure that Paul wasn't a serial killer but this is a little too much don't you think?"</p>
<p>"A serial wha-?" Paul said thinking harder as he took another bite of his pizza.</p>
<p>"It's nothing, babe," she said. "He just wants me alive to fail me in his class."</p>
<p>"That is not true!" Henry boomed standing up, making his hat fall slightly ajar. "I was just here to have a pleasant dinner with my husband, Chad. If your fabricated story were the case, I was just making sure that you were safe. The way you described him, I thought he was going to kill you!"</p>
<p>"Is this true?" Paul asked.</p>
<p>"I only told him you didn't like musicals."</p>
<p>Chad gasped. "How could he?"</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Paul said to Chad before looking for Papa Louie to come and give him a pizza box so that he could finally run away with Emma. "But can we get this to go, please."</p>
<p>"Of course, Paul." Papa Louie said passing him a pizza box. "Don't forget to pay."</p>
<p>"It's here," Paul said as he hurriedly placed some cash on the table. "Thank you."</p>
<p>"Babe, are they making you that uncomfy?" Emma asked Paul. She was concerned now as this was a terrible way for him to meet her parents. He tried his best not to fidget too much but she could see the discomfort in his eyes.</p>
<p>"It's fine," he said.</p>
<p>"Don't worry," she said. "We can go home." she stood up and took him in arms. "It's a little late anyways since we do need to walk home."</p>
<p>He nodded and they both went off leaving Henry to sulk into his husband.</p>
<p>"It's okay, love," Chad said. "I bet the just didn't want to miss their bedtimes or something. They're just kids having fun."</p>
<p>Reality just clicked in with Henry. "Did she just say walk?!"</p><hr/>
<p>"Are they always like that?" Paul asked Emma on the walk home.</p>
<p>"Normally they aren't," she replied. "But you're kinda new and so they kinda want me to be safe in a way."</p>
<p>"Isn't that weird."</p>
<p>"It's not that weird," she said. "It's kinda nice having someone looking after your back."</p>
<p>"I see."</p>
<p>"I'm glad you see my point," Emma said looking at Paul seeing him turn three shades paler before her eyes.</p>
<p>"No, I think I see them." he pointed to a minivan hurtling down the alleyway they came in. Luckily, the alleyway had just the right amount of space in it to house the van but if the driver weren't careful, he could have easily ran them both over.</p>
<p>"Get in, losers!" Chad yelled from the backseat. "We're taking you guys home."</p>
<p>"Sweet!" Emma said as she hauled Paul over to the minivan. "Free ride."</p>
<p>"Okay," he said as he settled into the backseat with Chad.</p>
<p>"We're just doing this to get you home," Henry said. "We know how dangerous this part of town is if you just walked around all willy-nilly as if the world could not hurt you."</p>
<p>"I know," Emma said. "But we're actually stopping at Paul's house for the night."</p>
<p>The fact that she had the audacity to say that almost made him turn the car around. In fact, he grimaced and looked into the mirror to see what atrocity this unknown boy was commiting in the backseat of his car. But he was just talking it up with his husband. He looked really scared too.</p>
<p>"I don't even know where he lives," he said.</p>
<p>"I do," Emma said. "So can you please drive us to Paul's house?"</p>
<p>Henry sighed. "Only because you said please."</p><hr/>
<p>Chad and Paul were in the backseat together. Chad took a good look at the man to see what Henry found so appaling about the boy but he could not name a single thing apart from the fact that he looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown for most of the time.</p>
<p>"Nice shirt," Chad said. "It looks great on you."</p>
<p>"Thanks," he said. "Your shirt looks nice as well." he gestured to the mess of prints that was Chad's non-existent fashion sense.</p>
<p>"Personally, I would not be one to say that," he said. "In fact, Henry's named me as sort of a fashion disaster."</p>
<p>"Oh no," Paul said.</p>
<p>"Oh no indeed, boy," he said. "In fact, before one of my dates, a friend of mine drove me to Henry's house. Do you know what he said?"</p>
<p>"I don't know."</p>
<p>"He said 'So you had to do it to 'em'. I don't even know what that means!" Chad said in the typical theatrical fashion of his speaking.</p>
<p>"It's a meme, actually," Paul said. "One of those internet jokes. You know, a friend of mine also told me that on the way here."</p>
<p>"Fashion Disaster Solidarity, brother," he said before extending a hand.</p>
<p>Paul weakly fist-bumped it and nodded to consolidate this unfortunate brotherhood.</p>
<p>"We're here, boys," Emma said, turning to the backseat.</p>
<p>"This is <i>his</i> house." Henry said, pointing to Paul's house.</p>
<p>"Yes, it is," she said. "Thanks for the ride home, dad!" she left before he could protest.</p>
<p>"Nice meeting you, boy," Chad said to Paul.</p>
<p>"Nice meeting you too, sir," he said before leaving to meet Emma at his house.</p>
<p>"You can't say he isn't polite, Henry." Chad piped up from the backseat.</p>
<p>"I can't say anything," he said. "I'm speechless. I've wasted a whole night dressed as a clown to have perhaps saved Emma from a bad man."</p>
<p>"The problem is?"</p>
<p>"The boy looks like he'd apologize to a table for stubbing his toe!"</p>
<p>"That's enough, big guy," Chad said firmly. "I think Emma's made a spectacular choice."</p>
<p>Henry could not find a witty remark to respond with so he chose to silently drive both of them home.</p>
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